Cui Xingzhou, being both Zhao Quan’s close friend and distant relative, couldn’t allow Zhao Quan to act recklessly. To dispel any notions the Marquis of Zhengnan might have, Cui Xingzhou said, “He has many wives and concubines. If you invite his relatives, you might favor some over others, which wouldn’t be good. It’s better to simplify things and not invite him at all.”
Liu Mentang hesitated, “The doctor seems to have a deep friendship with you, my lord. Is it appropriate to be so discourteous?”
Cui Xingzhou lowered his eyes, deciding to prevent future troubles, and said, “Although Brother Zhao is highly skilled in medicine, he has a particular fondness for other men’s wives. Those who know him well avoid letting their wives and concubines become close to him… If you hadn’t been gravely ill, I would never have invited him.”
Mentang blinked, finally understanding the deeper meaning in her husband’s words. So, the handsome and talented doctor was a womanizer! This… wasn’t he like a hungry wolf among women?
Thinking back to the doctor’s eagerness to help her last time and her husband’s displeasure, could it be that he was jealous? Yet when she was critically ill, he disregarded the risk and insisted on inviting Zhao Quan to save her life. How deep must his affection for her be?
Realizing this, she felt apologetic and filled with an indescribable sweetness. She quickly assured her husband, “Since he’s like that, I won’t even look at him in the future… My lord, were you angry with me for talking to him before?”
The woman before him was beautiful, but she was most alluring when her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed. Mentang was just like that now, her face like a peach blossom, her eyes like autumn waters… Cui Xingzhou looked at her for a while before slowly saying, “Those who don’t know can’t be blamed. It’s good that you won’t talk to him in the future…”
Although reluctant to part, Mentang knew her husband’s chess studies were important. The master was said to be hard to find and despised lazy people, so her husband had to leave early to study.
After seeing her husband off, watching him enter the carriage and leave the alley, Liu Mentang turned back reluctantly. Just then, Old Zhang from next door, returning from emptying the night soil, caught up with her. She had only seen a carriage hurriedly leaving, its curtains swaying. She quickly called out to Liu Mentang, “Mrs. Cui, was that your husband in the carriage just now?”
Liu Mentang smiled and confirmed. Old Zhang expressed some regret, “I only saw him quickly get into the carriage. My eyes aren’t what they used to be, and your husband’s cloak collar was so large it covered half his face. I only saw the top of his head. In the future, I might not even recognize your husband if he passes by me…”
Hearing Old Zhang’s words, Liu Mentang didn’t think much of it and simply replied, “We’re neighbors. There will be plenty of chances to meet in the future.”
While responding, Mentang turned to go back to the courtyard. Li Mama had mentioned there was still hot water in the pot, and she wanted to take a bath. The rainy weather of the past few days had been damp and cold, making her injuries ache. A warm soak would help relieve the discomfort.
However, Old Zhang was nosy and wanted to use this opportunity to probe into her neighbors’ affairs, giving her something to gossip about with other neighbors later.
“Mrs. Cui, don’t think I’m meddling, but your husband always comes at night and leaves at dawn, never to be seen. You should tell him that’s not good behavior. If it goes on for long, the neighbors will start talking…”
Lowering her voice, Old Zhang continued, “You know, some officials in town who keep mistresses act the same way, as if afraid to be seen. It makes our street so chaotic. Every few days, a legitimate wife is causing a scene, disturbing everyone’s peace…”
After saying this, Old Zhang stared intently at Liu Mentang’s face, looking for any sign of guilt.
However, Liu Mentang simply smiled gracefully and said, “My husband isn’t some idle playboy. He has legitimate business to attend to. What working man doesn’t leave early and return late? Why should he waste his time worrying about other people’s gossip? If some people have nothing better to do than makeup stories about others, I can’t control that. But I’ll tell you this: if anyone dares to slander my husband and tarnish our family’s reputation, they’d better be prepared for me to storm their house, smash their belongings, and drag them by their lying tongues to the village head!”
Mrs. Cui said this with a sweet smile on her face, but Old Zhang felt that the young woman’s beautiful eyes flashed with a fierce light. Her demeanor suggested she’d do much more than just yell and pull tongues!
For some reason, Old Zhang shuddered, losing the desire to probe further. She just laughed awkwardly and hurried back home with her night soil bucket.
Li Mama, who had been standing at the door, heard Liu Mentang’s words in full. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Although the young mistress was trying her best to protect her husband’s reputation, she didn’t know that her status was even worse than that of an official’s mistress. Seeing her righteous and open demeanor made Li Mama feel sorry for her.
That noon, Li Mama made an exception and took extra care to prepare a nourishing red date and ginseng chicken soup for Liu Mentang.
Mentang looked at the well-cooked small yellow chicken in the clay pot, its aroma wafting up to her nose.
As Li Mama lifted the lid, she said, “Madam, you’ve been feeling unwell due to the cold these past few days. I’ve added red dates, wolfberries, and ginseng to the soup. It’ll help nourish your body and drive away the chill…”
But before she could finish, Liu Mentang interjected with concern, “Such good ingredients should be saved for when the master returns! Otherwise, it’ll be like last time when the meat spoiled before he came back!”
Li Mama kept a straight face and said, “Men don’t need such nourishment. The Cui family is still well-off; madam doesn’t need to be so frugal.”
As the saying goes, a thousand-mile dike can collapse from an ant hole, but not in a single day. Liu Mentang now realized that the Cui family’s decline was not only due to the master’s poor management but also because the servants didn’t know how to be frugal.
However, Li Mama meant well, so although Liu Mentang’s heart ached at the sight of the thick ginseng root, she didn’t scold her harshly. She only instructed Li Mama to inform her in the future when using such expensive medicinal ingredients and to do so only when the master was home.
This only made Li Mama’s face darker. She silently ladled out the soup and placed it heavily in front of Liu Mentang, saying, “Madam is right. This old servant has overstepped today!”
Liu Mentang looked at her, took a spoonful, and sipped it slowly. The warm, savory soup immediately soothed her body from head to toe.
She gratefully looked up at Li Mama, who still seemed to be sulking, and said, “Please don’t think I’m nagging, Mama. It’s just that we don’t have much money right now. Once the shop opens and we start making money, everyone in our household can eat meat every day… At that time, not just me, but you too, Mama, should have ginseng chicken soup every day to nourish yourself. Mama has been loyal to the Cui family through thick and thin. I thank you on behalf of my husband.”
Hearing these words, Li Mama could no longer maintain her stern expression. She sighed softly, picked up her chopsticks, separated the chicken, and placed a drumstick in Liu Mentang’s bowl.
She didn’t know how the prince would deal with this woman in the future, but days of eating meat so freely might not last long. Being in a lowly position, she couldn’t influence the prince’s thoughts. Out of sympathy, she could only cook more meat for this pitiful woman to eat…
The opening day of the small shop was carefully chosen by Liu Mentang to be in the middle of the month on an auspicious day. Two long strings of red firecrackers hung high at the entrance, and the newly made “Yushao Porcelain Shop” sign was suspended above, covered with a red cloth.
Although the Cui family had no relatives or friends in the area, Liu Mentang invited neighbors to make the event livelier.
It was only then that the townspeople realized that the two shops had been bought by the Cui family who had recently moved to North Street.
Some curious individuals inquired about the price Mrs. Cui had paid for the two shops and were amazed at her shrewdness, secretly admiring her business acumen.
Seeing the newly renovated shop with its shining porcelain and Mrs. Cui’s efficient management, the gossiping women no longer saw her as an official’s mistress.
Although Mrs. Cui was exceptionally beautiful, she was indeed a proper businesswoman making an honest living.
If she had been a former courtesan trying to reform, she would have been used to an idle life and quick money, spending extravagantly and showing off. How could such a woman endure the hardships of running a business?
At once, the neighbors sincerely congratulated Mrs. Cui, wishing her business prosperity.
However, despite the grand opening, the shop owner’s husband was nowhere to be seen. Mrs. Cui explained that her husband had taken on a famous chess master and was busy with his studies, unable to come down from the mountain.
The crowd immediately understood. It seemed a delicate flower had been stuck in a patch of useless mud!
So, the Cui family’s husband was just a wastrel, truly a hands-off boss! Letting such a beautiful wife work in public to run the business, while he indulged in refined pursuits like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, or engaged in unproductive activities like cockfighting…
What a pity! What a pity! Such a capable and beautiful woman, yet she had married such an unreliable young master…
Amidst the sighs of regret, some men, captivated by Mrs. Cui’s beauty, harbored improper thoughts. Since her husband was never home, perhaps her boudoir was lonely. They planned to check her back door at night, to see if there might be a chance to slip in…
As people inside and outside the shop harbored various thoughts, five strings of firecrackers were set off, representing the arrival of five blessings. The red cloth was removed to the sound of a gong, and the Cui family’s small shop officially opened in Longquan Town.
However, opening a business wasn’t as simple as unveiling a sign.
The town was full of porcelain shops, making competition fierce. The well-established old shops had regular customers and stable sources, naturally not worrying about sales. Many were even outlets opened by porcelain kilns themselves, producing and selling their goods, saving on many intermediary costs.
But the Yushao Porcelain Shop was newly opened, and the owners weren’t locals. They had no foundation, and opening a shop here was like burning money.
After a busy first day of the new shop’s opening, it remained quiet for several days, with no customers coming in.